Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Story of Lost PSI hoops...

Oh my dear sweet hoopers, I hope by sharing my story with the community I love, several of you can learn from it like I have.

Flying with my beloved PSI hoops has always been a chore, but this trip was a little different. It was 3:30am on Dec. 21st 2010 and my fiance and I were about to head out to the airport. W were grabbing the last of our things, and I glanced at my PSIhoops thought about it and decided, YES I'll bring those. (In hopes of shooting a bad ass 5 year hoopiversary video over break) so I coiled & taped them up and put them by the door, ready to go. The Portland airport wasn't as busy as we had expected, we got through security without any problems and had an hour and half to kill before our 6am flight. Kenny and I shared some breakfast and some caffeine while we waited for our flight to board.

As I walked onto the plane, the flight attendant suggested I placed my psi hoops in the coat closet at the front of the plane by first class. Since it was an extremely full flight, she assured me they were less likely to be damaged in the closet. I obliged and left them with her.and as I walked off the plane, at the Dallas airport, I LEFT my psi hoops in that closet and carried about my way. :heart sinks:

My dear hoop friends, I do not know what to tell you. All I can say, is when it finally hit me, about 2 hours later, on my next flight, there was an overwhelming pain in my gut. I paged the flight attendant and let her know immediately. She said I could do nothing about it until I landed. The last two hours on the flight were tough, so many thoughts were running through my mind. I was so upset with myself, words will never be able to describe the feeling I felt inside. I just let the tears begin to fall. Why had I decided to bring them so last minute? What was I thinking, just leaving them?! Where was my brain?! The saddest part of all of this, I'm in school full time and barely surviving financially as it is, purchasing another set is not even realistic anymore.

I hurried off the plane and as quickly as I could to the baggage service office. There was a jolly man working with a white beard & wearing a Santa hat. When I saw him, I felt hopeful. I told him my story and together we wrote an email that went out to all the lost and founds of each airport that plane would visit for the remainder of that day. I left the Richmond Airport feeling somewhat positive, thinking there was a chance I would get them back. Throughout the holiday I called all the airports on a daily basis, leaving message after message. Days and days went by with no word at all....

Not hearing anything left the entire situation so open ended. Inside I was crushed at the idea I would not get them back, on the other hand my heart said stay positive, don't loose hope! The inner turmoil was eating at me. I just wanted to accept the harsh reality, they are gone.

A friend from facebook gave me the name of someone with connection to the industry. This propelled my case forward, and this past Tuesday Jan 4th I received a call from an american airlines representative. I felt relief hearing a human voice responding to my calls and emails. She assured me everything possible was being done to return my valuable hoops home to me, but after 15 days most cases are closed, but my case will be extended for a few more days. It has now been 20 days since I left my hoops on that plane and I suppose its official to say, I will not be getting them back. :(

Several words became clear in my head after having time to think: Find True Value.Even though psi hoops are one of the most expensive bad ass LED hoops around, they are just hoops. Just a possession, nothing that defines me. I learned not to attach so much joy and pleasure to them. Not to attach my self worth as a hooper or as a performer to these hoops. This may sound silly, but I realized I am just as amazing with or without my psi hoops. ;) I found peace in the reality that I LEFT THEM BEHIND. I forgave myself. But what I found was a higher value in my health, value in the fact we had such a safe trip to Virginia, value in time with my family and friends. The bottom line I found gratitude.

"You must understand how to live through the worst parts of life, so you never take the best parts for granted."

The saga continues!Today (1/10/11) on my way to work, I swung by the front office to see what in the world FedEx had dropped off and... TA DA!!!!!!! THERE WERE MY HOOPS!!! Just as I remembered them!!!! Coiled down with the sky blue vinyl tape.

I couldn't even believe it! I still can't! This story is a TRUE LESSON of Surrendering...LETTING GO and.... RECEIVING! I am tickled fancy with joy, over the moon with glee! Thanks again for the constant support from my community, I honestly don't know where I'd be with out each and everyone of you.